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News for 09 February 2021

All the news for Tuesday 9 February 2021


Quaid-e-Azam Inter-division Hockey C’ship final today

LAHORE: The trophy of the first-ever Quaid-e-Azam Inter-division Hockey Championship was unveiled here at Pakistan's National Hockey Stadium on Monday.

Director General Sports Punjab Adnan Arshad Aulakh and captains of Lahore division Hanan Shahid and Faisalabad division Ali Raza unveiled the trophy of the championship, being held under the auspices of Sports Board Punjab.

The final of the championship will be held on Tuesday (today) at the National Hockey Stadium Lahore and it will be played between Lahore and Faisalabad. Addressing the ceremony, Aulakh said that the inaugural Quaid-e-Azam Inter-Division Hockey Championship of Sports Board Punjab is successfully coming to an end.

The News International



Mother knows best



Hockey is renowned as a family-orientated sport. Many a current hockey player will say that their love for the game started at an early age as they watched their parents playing the sport. It is almost as if hockey becomes part of their genetic make-up.

Overtime, roles reverse, and the parents become spectators as their child moves through the junior teams to become an adult hockey player. And while every child moving into adulthood wants to make their own pathway, it is still reassuring to get occasional words of advice from someone who has been there and understands the challenges and demands.

As we move into a busy year of international hockey, with FIH Hockey Pro League, continental qualifiers, and of course, the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, it is a good chance to recognise the family support that many of this year’s players will be able to tap into.

When Pauline Heinz pulls on the shirt for the German national women’s team, her mother Bianca is certain to feel a nostalgic twinge, alongside enormous pride. Pauline is one of the most exciting talents to be emerging in time for the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and all eyes will be on her performances in the FIH Hockey Pro League in the coming months.

Her mother, Bianca Heinz (nee Weiss) knows what it is to be a member of Die Danas. She was goalkeeper for the German U21 squad and in that role she won the European Junior Championships in 1984 and was part of the winning team at the Junior World Cup in 1989. The two Heinz’s played together for a short period in the 2019 Bundesliga when Bianca made a brief comeback for Rüsselsheimer RK.

Another player whose family name is creating a burgeoning hockey dynasty is striker Pia Maertens. Her mother is Susanne “Susi“ Maertens (former Wollschläger).

If Pia wants advice on handling the pressure of the Olympics, then Susanne would be the ‘go-to’. A three times Olympian (1988, 1992, 1996) with a silver medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Susanne was also a silver medalist at the 1986 World Cup. These days she can be found coaching at the Bundesliga team Club Raffelberg.

The hockey genes continue with Pia’s aunt, Gabriele Schöwe (former Schley). Gabriele was an attack-minded midfielder who represented Germany at the Los Angeles and Seoul Olympics. Germany, playing as West Germany won silver at the 1984 Olympics.

Also playing at the 1984 Olympics and coming home with a bronze medal was Brenda Hoffman (nee Stauffer). Brenda was part of the successful USA women’s national team, and 37 years later her daughter Ashley Hoffman, who captains the current USA team, is following in her mother’s footsteps.

Across the border in Canada, 20-year-old Anna Mollenhauer is the daughter of Nancy Charlton-Mollenhauer, who was inducted in the Field Hockey Canada Hall of Fame for her career with the Canadian Team in the 80s. Among Nancy’s achievements were appearances at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games, a silver medal at the 1983 World Cup, followed by a bronze medal four years later. Nancy also won bronze at the 1987 Pan American Games and was the Canadian Team Flag Bearer at the 1987 Pan American Games. With 20 caps to her name, Anna is on her way to emulating mum’s achievements.

Hockey-playing family dynasties are also in evidence in the Netherlands.

Marjolijn Bakker represented the Netherlands on 32 occasions from 1968-1972. Her daughters Hanneke and Minke Smabers both had long and distinguished careers in the Oranje. Hanneke played international hockey from 1993-2001, earning 127 caps, while Minke became the Dutch record holder with 312 caps, representing the Netherlands from 1997-2010. Among the medals that the Smaber sisters collected over their playing careers are Olympic bronze (Sydney 2000), silver (Athens 2004) and gold (Beijing 2008), World Cup gold (Madrid 2006)and a host of other titles.

All three of Jeanneke van Kessel-van 't Hek’s children have gone on to represent the Netherlands. Jeanneke herself played for her country 12 times from 1967-69 and her daughters Lijsbeth and Lieve won two and 68 caps respectively. Their brother Benjamin also played for the Netherlands, winning four caps in 2005.

Throughout the ‘70s, Maria Mattheussens-Fikkers was a regular on the team sheet as she collected 69 caps for the Netherlands. For four years from 2008-2012, her daughter Marieke Veenhoven-Mattheussens was part of the Dutch team, winning silver at the 2010 World Cup in Rosario.

In Australia, one of the most famous Olympians is Nova Peris, who competed in two Olympics events – winning gold with the Hockeyroos in 1996 before switching to sprinting at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Nova was also the first Aboriginal Australian athlete to win an Olympic gold medal. Her niece, Brooke Peris will be looking to emulate her aunt at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

Another current Hockeyroo, Kaitlin Nobbs is the third generation of a hockey-playing dynasty.  June Harding, who later became June Haines and then June Capes is the mother of Lee Capes and Michelle Hager, both of whom represented Australia. Kaitlin is the daughter of Lee Capes and her former husband Michael Nobbs. June’s sister, Shirley Tonkin (nee Haines) is also a former Hockeyroo.

As international stars across the world prepare for a big year of hockey, there will undoubtedly be some words of wisdom passing from one generation to the next.

FIH site



Hockey all about the fun for former Hockeyroo Fiona Ryan



Ask former Hockeyroo and mother Fiona Ryan (nee Boyce) why she loves and continues to play hockey and the answer is simple, “because it’s fun”.

The 33 year old was part of the recently released women’s hockey promotional video encouraging women to ‘stick with hockey’. Visit the Club Finder to discover your local hockey club.

The Commonwealth Games gold medallist and 2012 Olympian, who made over 100 appearances for the Hockeyroos between 2009-2013, remains actively involved in the game at University of WA (UWA) Hockey Club.

Last year she played and co-coached UWA’s first division team, regularly coming up against teams featuring current Hockeyroos.

Fiona’s story is a remarkable one. Forced into retirement from the Hockeyroos at the age of 25 just before being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and subsequently undergoing chemotherapy, Fiona is now healthy, well and living a hectic and fulfilling life.

A proud mother of two with her eldest child about to start full time school, Fiona juggles a busy work, life schedule. With a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice under her belt, Fiona is the Chief Operating Officer at Fivemark Partners, a boutique strategic, corporate financial and equity market adviser.

She is also in the process of starting up a performance and mindset consulting business venture called Kōfuku Consulting targeted at high school students and athletes. Fiona is devising a six week program to assist teenagers and elite athletes to deal with high pressure situations and the expectations and stresses of life, something she is passionate about based on her own experiences.

With so much on her plate as she balances family, work and life, Fiona is a glowing example of hockey being such an important, valuable and enjoyable outlet from the daily grind.

Fiona kindly took some time out for a Q&A to outline the benefits of sticking with hockey and the importance of women and mothers taking time during the week to put themselves first…and hockey is the perfect tonic.

How do you balance two kids, a professional career and manage to find time to play hockey?

Fiona Ryan (FR): “Hockey is a really good outlet for me. Like the ad showed, when your identity can easily become that ‘mum life at home’ and always ‘give give give’, hockey has allowed me to have that time to myself and to spend more time with my mates. Exercising, having fun, socialising…it ticks a lot of boxes so it’s really important.”

How do you juggle it to make sure you have that time aside?

FR: “Being involved with a hockey club, you need to be available at set times twice a week and for a game on the weekend, so you have to be on time and it forces you to have that time away from everything else. Even now while hockey isn’t on, I still set that time aside to go and do yoga or go walking with a friend.”

What is it that you love most about hockey and being involved?

FR: “To be honest, it’s just having fun. I love the excitement and adrenalin rush of going to a game and playing with your friends. We’ve got a really social club so we’re always having a laugh… it’s all about the fun. The exercise component coupled with the social side of it is really beneficial for your mental and physical health and keeping your fitness up. But the reason I went back to hockey after kids is because it is really fun and a way to stay connected with my friends.”

What would you say to other mothers or women who are contemplating getting back into hockey?

FR: “I would say just do it, sign up and the logistics will work themselves out when they need to. I think for a lot of mothers the commitment of putting themselves first for that one or two times a week can be quite overwhelming logistically, and as a mother you’re not really used to doing that. It can feel a bit strange but the benefits it provides are numerous, not only from a physical and mental health point of view individually, but also for your family because you come back refreshed, energised and really wanting to spend time with them because you have missed them during your time at hockey.”

Do you find there is added strain on your body as you get older?

FR: “To be honest, I do feel it! If I did a couple of gym sessions every week I would feel it a lot less, but in saying that, I went back and played first division which is a lot more fast faced and demanding on the body than other grades and I really tried to get my fitness back as much as I could so I ran a fair bit.

If I was playing at a more social level, I don’t think I’d feel sore after games. For most women returning to the sport, after the initial soreness of getting back into any physical activity, I don’t think that they need to be worried about it taking a toll on their body.

I was mainly a midfielder or a defender when I was playing for the Hockeyroos, whereas now I play as a high striker and I feel like it’s a really fun position because you can have fun against defenders, be a bit cheeky and try and intercept and score goals, so it’s a lot of fun these days.”

How much did you enjoy being part of the ad?

FR: “We had a great time. I agreed to be involved to help out a teammate and friend, Shayni Nelson, who was the star of the ad. We all had a laugh and had a great time. In between filming we mucked around and had a hit so it was great to be involved. It was a lot of fun.”

Hockey Australia media release



Whistle in Hand: What Does it Take to Excel As An Umpire

By Maggie Giddens, USA Field Hockey Umpire



To perform at the highest level, or any level for that matter, an umpire needs to possess skills that are not taught in a classroom or found in a manual. They have to stay humble and open minded, learn from their mistakes and seek out opportunities for growth in every umpiring encounter.

Umpiring, much like life, is an ongoing challenge and even more so at the top level. In my career, I have identified the following five qualities to be pillars of success from local, national and international competition.

Adaptability

Changing times zones, enduring long flights or delays, different foods and overcoming language barriers are examples of ever-changing conditions. Embracing the adventure and frequently modified circumstances are critical to succeeding at the highest level. Being able to focus on what you can control is how you endure these types of challenges. Having support from family, friends and mentors along with a flexible career, assist you to stay focused and able to adapt while away from familiar conditions.

Mental Toughness

Being an umpire is hard. It requires mental toughness and the ability to analyze situations objectively. Learning to process events without taking things personally or getting emotional will not only improve your skills as an umpire but also help you learn from the challenges you face. Meditation is an invaluable tool that has helped me control my own emotions, so when stakes are high, I am able to manage situations as a professional.

Preparedness

Field hockey has evolved over the years and with the self-start the game is faster than ever, putting more emphasis on umpires to be fit. Physical training is crucial, but controllable part of an elite umpire's preparation. Mimicking movements of the game like change of speed and direction as well as including strength training will build confidence that carries over to the pitch. Just as important as physical training is the need to incorporate mental training. Studying the game, watching video and analyzing different calls will improve your skills as an umpire. Meanwhile, apps are available to work on reaction time and problem-solving skills to keep your mind sharp while off the field.

Self-Care

Self-care applies not just to when you are at a tournament, but to your pre- and post-tournament routine as well. When at a tournament it’s necessary to be able to recognize when you need some time to yourself to refresh and mentally prepare to perform. When you return, getting back to your regular routine of healthy habits will help you recover faster so you can start training for the next tournament sooner. Since making it to the top level, working on my recovery between tournaments has been key to my ability to stay healthy, fit and focused. Proper nutrition, quality sleep and regular meditation are the main components of my self-care routine.

Love of the Game

Love of the game is why I am an umpire. The journey of developing umpiring skills is an enjoyable challenge but the passion of the sport is what always brings me back after a tough game. Being part of a team has always been important to me and I am proud to be a part of the third team. I am thankful for the colleagues who have become friends and who make my job fun, despite its difficulties.

Competing as a top level umpire never gets easier. However, if you decide to see mistakes as learning opportunities and continually challenge yourself to grow and adapt (physically, mentally and emotionally), you can develop the strength and resiliency necessary to succeed.

USFHA media release



Maddie Hinch takes part in virtual lockdown walk to keep Britain moving



GB star Maddie Hinch will virtually connect with the British public as part of a series of free, live-streamed walks.

The aim of the Weight Watchers (WW) Walk to Wellness walks is to get the nation moving in lockdown – and also raise money for The Trussel Trust.

Maddie’s walk will take place on Tuesday at 1pm (GMT) and the digital streaming will allow anyone to join the Rio Olympian live alongside WW’s wellness experts on a solo walk for free.

The GB goalkeeper said: “This is such a great idea. Whatever your situation during lockdown, everyone is finding it tough.

“Taking some time to get out for some regular exercise and feeling connected to other people is the perfect thing to keep us all in a good place, physically and mentally. I hope lots of people can join in!”

On Maddie’s walk, people will also be able to hear from, and interact with, WW’s expert health and wellness coaches, who will give advice and answer questions on a range of physical and mental health topics.

Emma Revie, CEO of the Trussell Trust, said: “We believe everyone has a right to nutritious food and are encouraging the nation to get out and Walk to Wellness – helping you put your health and wellness first but at the same time helping those in need.”

To join in on Tuesday, go to bit.ly/WalktoWellness

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